Devices supported by air cushions



y 1968 J. H. BERTIN ETAL 3,382,945

DEVICES SUPPORTED BY AIR CUSHIONS Filed July 12, 1965 4 SheetswSheet 1 Imvzmons & m l 1 I I I l QENRIBQR YIN l 3 m mncoxs mm OGr romws y 4, 1968 J. H. BERTIN ETAL 3,382,945

DEVICES SUPPORTED BY AIR CUSHIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1965 N N N N N 0m w b 0 n M v 1968 J. H. BERTIN ETAL 3,382,945

DEVICES SUPPORTED BY AIR CUSHIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed July 12, 1965 W m. l

May 14, 1968 J. H. BERTIN ETAL 3,332,945

DEVICES SUPPORTED BY AIR CUSHIONS Filed July 12, 1965 4 $heetsSheet 4 United States Patent 3,382,945 DEVICES SUPPORTED BY AIR CUSHIONS Jean Henri Bertiu, Neuilly-sur-Seine, and Paul Francois Guienne, Paris, France, assignors to Bertin & Cie, Paris, France, a company of France Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,243 Claims priority, application France, July 23, 1964,

10 Claims. (e1. 180-421) realize improved performance when travelling over un- I even ground, and more particularly, over rough sea.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to reduce the resistance to forward motion of the vehicle, thereby decreasing specific power consumption, increasing speed and pay load, etc. Resistance to forward motion is the cumulative result of various factors, such as: aerodynamic drag of the vehicle, action of the waves striking the understructure, scraping of the wave crests and scoopin g of water by the skirts.

In accordance with the invention, these resistance producing effects are each and all minimized by arranging the inner skirts which are inside the peripheral skirt, behind each other along at least two longitudinal rows substantially parallel to the normal direction of motion of the vehicle, and by inclining rearwardly from top to bottom the skirt portions which extend transversely to this direction of motion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the skirts in the same row are contiguous at least at their lower end, leaving no room accessible to water from the outside, between consecutive skirts.

In the drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a schematic underneath half-view of a first form of embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic longitudinal section taken along line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an underneath half-view of an alternative constructional form;

FIGURE 4 is an underneath view of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional View taken along line V--V of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a third form of embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a slightly enlarged fragmental view corresponding to FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-section taken along line VIII VIII of FIGURE 7.

In the case of all the figures in the accompanying drawings, the compressed gas generating device supplying the several cushions is not shown, only the extremity of each supply conduit being represented. Clearly, an independent supply for the various unit cushions is preferable by reason of the stability this confers upon the platform.

Reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 shows a platform 1 supported on a plurality of air cushions 2, 2a, 2b. The air cushions 2 and 2a are bounded by small unit skirts adjoining one another to form a set such as designated by reference numeral 5. The air cushion 2b is bounded by a peripheral skirt 4 and is formed between the latter 3,382,945 Patented May 14, 1968 and the outer wall of the sets 5. The pairs of skirts of each set 5 thereof have a common wall 6 and are positioned one behind the other. A supply conduit 3 has port inside each unit skirt of the set 5 thereof whereby to supply the air cushions 2, 2a.

The normal direction of travel of the vehicle is shown by the arrow V. The front transverse portion 41 of the peripheral skirt 4, as well as the front portion 51 of the inner skirt 2 located foremost with respect to the direc tion of travel V of the vehicle, and the transverse partition walls 6, have a lower edge positioned rearwardly of their upper edge, the latter being secured to the underneath of platform 1.

The peripheral skirt 4 is closed at the rear by a doublethickness wall transverse portion 42-43 of V-section which is inflated by pressurized fluid supplied through the medium of an auxiliary conduit 3b. The front partition 42 of this Wall portion 42-43, like the transverse partition walls 6, has a lower edge located rearwardly of its super edge. The reverse arrangement is used for the rear partition 43, thereby ensuring relatively great rigidity for the double-thickness rear wall portion of the skirt 4. The rearmost inner skirt 2a with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle is likewise closed at the rear by a double-thickness wall transverse portion 52-53 which is inflated by pressurized fluid supplied by an auxiliary conduit 3a. The front partition 52 has its lower edge located rearwardly of its upper edge.

The longitudinal wall portions 54 of the inner skirts, which are distended by the internal pressure of the cushions 2, 2a, are restrained by the transverse walls 51, 6 and 52, 53; similarly, the longitudinal portions 44 of the peripheral skirt 4 may be restrained by strut members 7, in the form of Wires or walls, preferably located in the plane of the adjacent Walls 6 and shown more clearly in FIGURES 7 and 8. The peripheral skirt may be distended solely by the air escaping from the inner skirts.

In the alternative form of embodiment shown in FIG- URE 3, the longitudinal wall portions 44a of the peripheral skirt 4 are cut so as to join onto those inner skirts of each set 511 thereof which are positioned at the front and rear of the platform 1 respectively. Thus the set 5a is incorporated into said lateral wall portions.

It will be manifest that when the vehicle is moving forward the obliquity of the transverse wall portions 41, 51, 6, 52 and 42 will facilitate the negotiation of obstacles, and more particularly the drainage of any quantities of Water which waves may project into the air cushions 2, 2a, 2b. A platform devised in accordance with FIGURES 1 through 3 is also noteworthy by virtue of its stability, both in roll and in pitch, roll stability is provided by the catamaran arrangeemnt of the longitudinal rows 5 or 5a of inner cushions and in this respect the closer these rows are to the longitudinal wall portions 44 or 44a of the peripheral skirt 4, the better. Pitch stability is provided by the multiplicity of inner cushions in each row and in this respect to the more numerous these cushions, the better. Thus roll and pitch stability is improved by having the rows 5 or 5a as far apart transversely as possible and as long as possible, taking into account the entire rectangular platform area to provide lift. Moreover, with such an arrangement, the overall transverse area of the inner cushions is reduced and the latter are bunched longitudinally and sheltered behind each other, thereby offering a relatively low resistance to forward travel.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a second alternative embodiment of the invention in which two sets 5b of unit skirts are juxtaposed transversely in the absence of a peripheral skirt, the common transverse partition walls 62-63 having a double thickness and fulfilling the func- =39 tion of a pressure equalizing chamber for the air cushion immediately in front of each such wall. The two partitions 62 and 63 jointly forming such a wall have their lower edges 64: joined together and their upper edges spaced from each other.

The two sets 5b have distinct side walls 55 lying in the longitudinal symmetry plane of the platform 1, and these walls are flat and simply applied against each other in the known manner by the internal pressure of the cushions 2, 2a, but in the drawings the walls 55 are shown as being spaced from each other to emphasize their distinctness. Each common wall comprises a front transverse partition 62 the lower edge of which is located rearwardly of the upper edge, and a rear transverse partition 63, and these two partitions, jointly with the longitudinal wall portions 54,, 55, form chambers distended by the conduits 3 opening thereinto. This also applies to the rear transverse wall which is similarly formed of two wall portions 62a and 63a. The front transverse partitions 2, 62:: are preferably provided at their bottoms with a plurality of holes 8 through which the gas conveyed through the conduits 3 flows into the corresponding cushion 2, 2a.

Reference is finally had to FIGURE 6 for a third alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the front transverse wall portion of the foremost unit skirt of the set 50 is likewise of double thickness. This wall portion comprises not only a front partition 51 the lower edge of which is located rearwardly of the upper edge, but also a rear partition 56, and this wall portion forms a pres sure equalizing chamber supplied through a conduit 3 for the air cushion 2 located immediately behind it. In its upper part, for example, the partition 56 is formed with holes 9, but a number of additional orifices 10 are provided along its lower edge to drain out any water that may have penetrated accidentally between the partitions 51 and 56.

The common transverse walls 62, 63 also serve as a pressure equalizing chambers, but in this case for the air cushion located immediately behind each of these walls, with orifices 9, 10 being provided in their rear partition 63. The rearmost wall portion 620, 63a is distended by an individual conduit 3a and may be formed with holes 8 therein, as shown in FIGURE 5.

The front partitions 51, 62 and 62a of the transverse wall portions of the skirts are thereby rendered completely fluidtight, which is an advantage for a vehicle designed to travel over water.

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-cushion vehicle or like movable body comprising a plurality of cushion bounding skirts made of flaccid, fluidtight material, one of said skirts extending peripherally all around the others and said others being lined up along at least two longitudinal rows substantially parallel to the normal direction of motion of said body, said skirts having transverse portions extending parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to said direction and said transverse portions inclined rearwardly from top to bottom.

2. Movable body as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirts in a same row are contiguous at least at the lower end thereof, whereby substantially no room is accessible from the outside between consecutive skirts in each row.

3. Movable body as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral skirt has portions in common with at least one other skirt.

4. Movable body as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral skirt comprises longitudinal portions generally parallel to said direction of motion, said body further comprising strut means connecting each of said longitudinal portions to at least one skirt of the adjacent longitudinal row.

5. Movable body as claimed in claim 1, wherein said other skirts are lined up along two longitudinal rows transversely spaced from each other and extending adjacent respective longitudinal portions of said peripheral skirt.

6. Movable body as claimed in claim 1, further comprising further transverse skirt portions extending generally perpendicular to said direction of motion and inclined forwardly from top to bottom, said further transverse skirt portions being attached at the boLtom to one of said former-mentioned, rearwardly inclined transverse skirt portions, thereby to bound therewith a downwardly tapering chamber, and means for supplying pressure fluid to said chamber.

7. Movable body as claimed in claim 6, further comprising draining means at the bottom of said downwardly tapering chambers.

8. Movable body as claimed in claim 6, further comprising passage means through at least one of said inclined transverse skirt portions for discharging pressure fluid from the respective chamber into the adjacent skirt bounded cushion.

9. Movable body as claimed in claim 8 wherein said passage means are positioned at the lower part of said rearwardly inclined transverse skirt portions.

10. Movable body as claimed in claim 8, wherein said passage means are positioned at the upper part of said forwardly inclined transverse skirt portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,191,705 6/1965 Jones et al. 180-7 3,249,166 5/1966 Cockerell et al 1807 3,252,535 5/1966 Jones 18O7 3,253,667 5/1966 Mackie 18O7 3,254,731 6/1966 Schreiber 1807 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,425 5/ 1963 Great Britain.

935,620 8/1963 Great Britain.

997,518 7/ 1965 Great Britain.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MULTI-CUSHION VEHICLE OR LIKE MOVABLE BODY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CUSHION BOUNDING SKIRTS MADE OF FLACCID, FLUIDTIGHT MATERIAL, ONE OF SAID SKIRTS EXTENDING PERIPHERALLY ALL AROUND THE OTHERS AND SAID OTHERS BEING LINED UP ALONG AT LEAST TWO LONGITUDINAL ROWS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE NORMAL DIRECTION OF MOTION OF SAID BODY, SAID SKIRTS HAVING TRANVERSE PORTIONS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID DIRECTION AND SAID TRANSVERSE PORTIONS INCLINED REARWARDLY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. 